


Hook and Simmer

by Wurda



Category: Naruto
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha Uzumaki Naruto, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amnesia, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Depression, Dissociation, F/M, Fluff, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Naruto has anger issues, Omega Uchiha Sasuke, Panic Attacks, Past Anger Issues, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Underage, Possible Mpreg, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, The boxing AU no one asked for, breif vomiting, naruto is a chef, naruto is an advocate for omega rights, no beta we die like men, sasuke has a big crush, sasuke has a loving family, sasuke is his biggest fan, shikamaru is sick of naruto's shit, typical boxing violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:14:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29264109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wurda/pseuds/Wurda
Summary: Sasuke, an omega suffering from PTSD, meets his all time favorite boxing champion and world renowned chef, Uzumaki Naruto.Naruto, an alpha with big anger issues and an even bigger heart, meets an omega that seems to hate his guts.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 75
Kudos: 155





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Just a warning in advance- there will be slightly graphic descriptions of rape in this story. This is your warning.  
> I also don't know anything about being a chef, lawyer, or boxer- oops. Don't worry, I like to do research. Bear with me and offer your constructive criticism. Enjoy the Prologue below :)  
> ***EDIT: See close notes.

“Good afternoon, Nii-san.”

Itachi smiles fondly at his baby brother, giving him all his attention at once. He makes his way over to the medium sized TV in their living room where the teen sits and watches the glowing screen excitedly.

_“And it looks like we get a special treat today, folks, because Naruto’s very own trainer and mentor is attending the match today. It’s been about 8 years since he’s last trained a boxer and he recently picked up his own godson to follow in his footsteps. This is Naruto’s first amateur tournament here—"_

The camera pans to an older man with a large build and long white hair. He smiles widely at a young boy as he shakes his messy blonde hair, bright orange boxing shorts nearly glowing under all the lights.

Sasuke’s eyes glow.

The dark-haired man chuckles, thinking to himself that his brother is really acting like a kid in all his elation about the alpha on the screen.

It’s Fugaku’s fault really, a fan of Jiraiya the Sannin. They had many old tapes of fights because even before Fugaku, Madara had also been a fan of the sport. Itachi still cringes thinking about his childhood, nagging his father to pay attention to him rather that the match on the television. It was the man’s one true guilty pleasure and only Mikoto could really pull him away.

“You want him to be your alpha?” Itachi teases, smirking at the redness appearing on the other’s face. “What if you present as one? Or even a beta?”

Sasuke’s brows furrow and he bites the inside of his cheek. He doesn’t like to think about that and huffs in response to his brother’s question. He gets poked in the forehead when no words leave his mouth.

“Just shut up,” the 13-year-old finally says, pouting at the older alpha beside him.

“I mean who knows, maybe he doesn’t want an omega.” He knows he’s being mean but he’s the older brother and he can torment his Otouto as much as he wants. Mikoto is an omega so Itachi is pretty sure his brother has a good chance of also presenting as such, but he won’t tell him that.

Sasuke doesn’t rise to the bait, however, as he becomes enraptured with the tournament on the television in front of them.

Naruto wins his fight.

Sasuke is elated, of course, dark eyes sparkling as his idol’s arm is held above his head. The crowd cheers through the speakers and the blonde alpha beams at the camera, black eye starting to form and blood seeping from the corner of his mouth and coating his too-white teeth.

“Now he can compete is the final tournament of the season! This is awesome!”

A sigh, then another smile. His little brother really is too cute. Cheeks flushed and nearly rolling around the floor with barely restrained delight. He hopes that when his dreams are crushed, he’ll be mature enough to handle it. Or this phase will pass before then. 

-

At 13, Sasuke has started to grow into himself, limbs no longer gangly and thin, but filling out into something soft and less childlike. His hips grew slightly wider and his tummy is more toned. His mother sees the changes and she knows before it happens. She plans to have a talk with him about it, but mother nature beats her to it.

Her son doubles over as he’s pouring water into a glass, barely managing to set the pitcher down in time before gripping the edge of the counter in front of him.

She immediately stops chopping carrots and steps up to his side in concern.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

It’s a stupid question on her part, she knows, but she wants to comfort him as much as she can before he can’t answer her anymore.

“Hot, and it hurts,” He mumbles quietly, breath coming out in quick pants.

Her hands rest on his back as he collects himself. “Have you felt anxious today?” She asks, rubbing slow circles along his spine. “Or have you felt throbbing between your legs?”

Mikoto can’t tell if he’s blushing or if he’s simply flushed from the changes his body is currently experiencing. He tries to stand upright but hisses in discomfort, rubbing his thighs together to try and relieve pressure.

He’s overwhelmed and tears cascade down his face. It breaks Mikoto to see her son like this, but luckily she has experience and knows exactly how to help.  
Her fingers brush the hair out of his face gently and he looks up at her with a pleading expression.

“Oh I know, come here.”

He falls into her arms and squeezes her midsection tightly. For a minute she holds her youngest son to her chest, humming softly. It seems to relax him and finally he breaks free from her hold.

Within the next 30 minutes she has her son tucked into his bed, promising to check on him later. As she leaves his room she can’t help but let out a small chuckle at all the posters he has lining his walls. The one on the back of the door displays a young, quite handsome alpha posing in a fighting stance and only wearing a pair of black shorts. Even Mikoto can’t deny he’s a sturdy looking alpha.

That night, when her husband and oldest son get home from the law firm, she doesn’t even have to break the news because they can smell it.

“Betting is perfectly fine, Itachi, as long as it’s done legally and with tact.”

“I’m sure, father.”

“Don’t give me that, you’re too young to appreciate—”

Fugaku pauses, lifting his head up to take in the scent in the air around him. He’s only halfway out of his coat as the crease appears between his eyes and he slowly finishes taking it off, calling to his wife.

Itachi sets down his briefcase in the foyer and follows, guessing nearly immediately who is responsible for the new smell in their home.

“Mikoto?” 

Their mother turns away from her place at the stove, setting down the spoon she had been using to stir the pot with a small smile.

Then she sees the confused look on Fugaku’s face and promptly scowls.

“You better know that it’s not me.” She challenges her husband, who shrinks back slightly in realization.

Itachi glances at the stairs.

His mother turns away and makes a plate of food, handing it to her son. “Go take this to your brother. Grab his glass so I can get him some more water.”

Knowing not to question her, her takes the warm plate and makes his way up to his little brother’s room, trying to overlook the wrath of the omega behind him.

“’Koto, sweetie, it took me by surprise, I didn’t—”

_Thwack._

Smirk lingering on his face, he tries to school his expression before knocking on the door.

“Come in.”

Sasuke’s voice is a little hoarse, and when he finally sees the smaller boy Itachi’s heart constricts in his chest. 

The newly presented omega’s face is glistening with sweat in the low lamp light, and his breathing is slightly labored. He barely even looks up at Itachi before burrowing back down under his dark blue comforter.

Itachi sets the plate of food on the desk across the room. He sits down slowly as to not jostle the other male too much and lays a gentle hand atop his brother’s back.

The relief is palpable, the small body deflates and Sasuke feels so much lighter in an instant. He mewls, pushing back into the warm hand as shivers wrack his body.

“I know,” the alpha murmurs, reluctantly standing up and wincing at the whine that leaves the quivering lump on the bed. 

He crosses the room and brings the steamy plate back over to Sasuke, coaxing him into sitting up so he can hand it to him. He isn’t shaking too badly and Itachi feels more comfortable letting go once the omega’s delicate hands grasp onto the warm porcelain.

He brings the nearly empty glass downstairs, refills it with cold ice water, and ignores his mother’s grumbling. 

He grimaces slightly once he sees a round imprint of sauce on his father’s shirt that suspiciously looks like it was left from a wooden spoon.

Handing his brother the glass, he gulps it down greedily as if he hasn’t had anything to drink in months. Itachi reaches up and caresses the back of Sasuke’s head, who leans into the touch, starving for something other than the food before him.

“You feeling better?”

His younger brother huffs and gives him an amusing attempt at a glare. It’s hard to take him seriously when he’s purring so sweetly and practically pressing his whole head back into his hand. His little brother really is so cute. 

He says as much, and suddenly his hand is swatted away. Itachi laughs at the boy’s indignation.

The alpha’s scent seems to relax his brother enough for him to eat and get some fluids in him. Itachi brings him another full glass of water and removes the empty plate from the room. He promises to check on Sasuke later, as the first heat is always the most painful and some argue the hardest to get through.

The remaining three members of the Uchiha household sit down and dig into their food. For a minute, everything seems normal. Until his father leans over and takes a big whiff of him.

He hums in understanding, then—

“It’s sweeter.”

Itachi can’t help but snicker as his mother’s gaze throws daggers into his father’s head. He may be oblivious, but he loves Mikoto very much.

“You gave birth to him you know, it’s only natural that you smell very similar.” Itachi decides to help his father out, and the older man is swift to agree.

Mikoto sighs in resignation before giving a soft smile. “I’m worried we won’t be able to keep the alphas off him.”

“There’s only one he wants,” Itachi doesn’t go into detail on the odds Sasuke has of making that happen, “but he’s an tough omega, right? I wouldn’t be too concerned, Kaa-san.”  
She smiles kindly, but he knows that his mother has every right to be anxious. Even if he doesn’t outwardly show a lot of his emotions, he can’t shake the little pit of dread resting in his stomach.

-

He’s 14 when he’s snatched off the street after going into his second heat.

He can’t remember much of it. His therapist calls it Dissociative amnesia. 

That’s not the only thing he can’t remember, though. He forgets his mother’s birthday. The assignment that was due. His favorite t-shirt.

His family tries their best to help him, with sticky notes and patience. His mother takes the time to write reminders on the insides of his wrists. Usually in the morning before he starts his day. 

He feels bad, and he feels like something’s missing. Itachi puts off moving out just so he can be there for him, and Sasuke feels like a burden.

It’s around this time that he starts to lash out, smack hands away that once meant so much to him. 

_“Don’t touch me!”_

The omega falls back and scrambles to the other side of his bedroom. He cowers, breath quick and nausea building up in his gut. Itachi dashes down the stairs.

His mother shows up in time to watch him vomit into the small trashcan beside his desk.

-

He sits in his desk chair, watching the video pulled up on his computer intently. 

_“Is it true that the reason you started boxing was to help your fathers?”_

The alpha chuckles in an embarrassed sort of way, rubbing the back of his head and smiling so big Sasuke feels like his heart will burst. The rough voice of his idol leaves the speakers and the omega squirms in his seat.

_“Yeah, when I was in high school they encouraged me to focus on my grades, but I couldn’t just sit back and watch them struggle, ya know? They did so much for me, I had to repay them.”_

Naruto glances away, seeming to think hard for a second before continuing.

_“I was an orphan and began my life in foster care. Things were rough. They saved me from that, and I’ll always be grateful. So, when the old man offered to teach me boxing to earn money, how could I say no? Boxing is cool, dattebayo!”_

Sasuke’s face heats up at the smile on the screen.

Another reporter leans in.

_“Recently we heard that you had plans to open up your own restaurant after you graduate from college, is this true?”_

Naruto nods amicably, _“Yeah! That’s been my dream since I was in middle school, and I just got accepted into a great culinary arts program! Who knew that boxing would get me a scholarship?”_ He rubs his head again, messing up his blonde hair in the process.

_“What about your recent donation to the Omega Rights Association?”_

Beaming, Naruto goes into a whole monologue regarding the donation and his beliefs on Omega equality. Sasuke swoons when he passionately says, _“—Omegas should be treated equal, they aren’t weak, and no one should take another person for granted for their gender. Who cares about biology? Dumb fucks with their head up their ass, that’s who.”_

Before he can say more, another reporter throws a question his way, _“How do you feel about the name they’ve given you, ‘’Iron Chef’?”_

The blue-eyed man barks out a laugh. _“It’s catchy, I guess? Maybe I’ll put that on my resume instead of my real name. The Iron Chef. Occupation: Stirring up trouble in the ring. Skills: Making a mean bowl of ramen.”_

There’s laughter and Sasuke bites his lip, giddy as the clip comes to a close. He’s quick to hit replay.

At least this is something he hasn’t forgotten.

-

“No, no you shouldn’t take him, what if he has an attack?” His mother’s whisper drifts out of the kitchen, not meant for his ears. He leans against the wall and grits his teeth when he hears his father’s reply.

“But he wouldn’t want to miss it, what if it cheers him up?”

“He’ll be surrounded by alphas, Fugaku, it’ll overwhelm him!”

“But it’s a big match, you know he worships the guy, and he’s an alpha too. It’s the biggest tournament of his career so far.”

Sasuke knows what they’re talking about. He knows and it _hurts._ He wants to go _so_ bad.

But he can’t. His mother’s right. He’d have an attack, there’s no doubt in his mind.

Sasuke makes his way silently back up the stairs to his room, leaving his parent’s quiet conversation behind.

-

Mikoto’s touch is good. 

It might be because she too is an omega, or maybe his instincts know that she’s his mother. But wouldn’t that mean he’d recognize Itachi and Fugaku as family, too?

He doesn’t understand. 

“Did you finish your assignments?” She questions from her spot next to him at the table. He doesn’t even lift his head up from his arms when he nods.

Mikoto purses her lips, hand resting on her son’s shoulder to try and ease his ache. Ever since the attack he hasn’t had another heat. The doctor said it’s normal when something traumatic has happened, and not to worry about it.

How can she not worry?

Her son is depressed and sometimes he forgets to eat. Forgets that he needs a shower. Sometimes, he lays in bed all day and barely gets up to use the bathroom.  
Lately, it’s been even worse, ever since Itachi left.

She understands why, she really does. He made Sasuke more nervous, he is an alpha after all. He moved out so Sasuke could get better, less alphas around would help him to recover faster. The therapist even encouraged it. 

She won’t say it but she knows. It makes the omega feel even worse. Which is what lead to a certain conversation with her husband.

“Come on, cheer up. Your dad will be here soon. He has a surprise for you.”

He perks up a little a that, curious as to what it could be. His mother had been telling him that there was something special planned for today, encouraging him to finish up all his assignments and get them submitted on time. Switching to home school had been both a struggle and a relief for Sasuke.

But he’s hesitant right now. He’s okay with his father’s presence, but not sure how he feels about being in a car alone with him. These thoughts are stupid, he thinks, why would his own father hurt him?

He wouldn’t.

But still.

An hour later he’s in the SUV with Fugaku, who makes small talk about the cases he’s currently working at the firm. At first Sasuke is on edge, but as his father speaks, he finds that his voice is soothing and a sense of calm washes over him.

They pull up to a quaint building that looks as if it’s seen better days, and Sasuke notices the red lettering on the outside.

_Jiu Jitsu_

“Otou-san?”

Fugaku smiles from the driver’s seat and steps out of the vehicle, coming around to open the passenger door for Sasuke.

“Surprise,” he says, moving back as Sasuke exits the SUV.

Sasuke’s shock is replaced with excitement in an instant. _Jiu Jitsu,_ he thinks, smiling to himself.

Fugaku immediately notices the change in mood, and before he can think about it too hard, he presses a large, warm palm to the back of his youngest son’s neck. 

The omega doesn’t even flinch as a thumb rubs gentle but firm circles into his pale skin.

-

“You _know him?”_ Sasuke is offended that his father never told of his friendship with Jiraiya the Sannin and association with Naruto the “Iron Chef.” 

“Eh? Why do you think I have so many tapes of that guy? It’s my job to make sure he doesn’t risk any lawsuits,” his father snickers. “Besides, your Ojii-san was good friends with him.”

“We know Jiraiya, not the alpha he’s trained, Sasuke.” Itachi sighs, “but we are going to be meeting with his protégé next week. Like father, like son I suppose. I wish they could stay out of trouble for once.”

Sasuke sits in shock. 

And sits some more. Itachi notices his wide eyes and awed expression across the dinner table.

“I know you want to meet him Sasuke but listen, we’re working with him in regard to a major lawsuit, he probably won’t be in the mood to talk with a fan.”

But his brother isn’t listening, all that runs through his head is _Naruto Naruto Naruto._

Itachi longs to let his brother meet his hero, but he’s aware that the situation is less than ideal. The famous boxer is known to have a hot head, after all. 

Maybe if Sasuke just gets to see him it’ll make the omega happy.

Nearly a week later Itachi requests a homemade lunch for his father and himself. He asks that Sasuke bring it by at exactly one o’clock, and there's no need to tell him why.

Sasuke at 16 years old has mastered the art of bento and gained his blue belt in Jiu Jitsu. Now that he’s on suppressants, he feels much safer going out and being around others again. He still flinches and has an occasional anxiety attack, but his condition has become much better within the past two years.

He drives over to the firm, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering wildly. Once he parks, he sits in his car for a moment, too nervous to leave it and too excited to stay. He’s 15 minutes early, but he hops out of his car anyway and makes his way through the front doors.

The office space is neat and clean, shiny tile covering the floor in the front while soft brown carpet leads to the individual offices in the back. The front desk is a nice, dark wood and behind it sits Izumi, one of his cousins.

“Hi Sasuke,” she smiles pleasantly, “Itachi said you could head straight back.”

He nods and barely manages a small uptilt in his lips back to the beta as she goes back to her typing.

He hears Itachi before he sees him.

“A kid’s cartoon can’t sponsor a boxer Naruto. Are you forgetting how bloody it can get?”

A scoff, then, “I didn’t even mean to copy the phrase! Why am I the one getting sued?!”

He hears his brother sigh, sounding tired and like he’s explained himself at least a dozen times.

“You made a comment about it, why am I still reminding you?”

“It was a joke! And that was two years ago!”

They banter back and forth, Sasuke barely hearing the rest because Naruto is _right there._  
He hesitates outside the door, knowing better than to interrupt. But hadn’t his brother said it would be okay for him to come? Surely it’s fine, his brother was expecting him after all.

Sasuke takes a deep breath, steels himself, and peeks around the corner.

Itachi pauses in the squabble upon the sight of him, harsh lines on his face smoothing out into a grateful smile.

The blonde alpha in the armchair doesn’t register the change on the lawyers face at first, continuing to complain. Itachi motions for Sasuke to enter his office, and the omega gulps.

His hesitation doesn’t go unnoticed for long, however, and the Iron Chef himself turns once he sees Itachi’s soft expression.

Sasuke’s sure his face is bright red as he enters the small space and sets the bento box into Itachi’s outstretched hands. He can hardly comprehend a thing his brother says, other than being introduced as his little brother. 

“Thank you, Sasuke-kun,” Itachi grins at him. He hasn’t heard a word from the blonde since he entered. He chances a look behind him and regrets it almost immediately.

Blue eyes teeming with anger glare at him from a plush, leather armchair. Arms crossed and mouth turned down in a frown, Naruto looks like a truly terrifying Alpha.

There is a heady scent in the air, one he knows doesn’t belong to Itachi, but it’s hard to make out. The other alpha must be on suppressants.

Sasuke swallows hard again.

“Why don’t you take father his lunch, Sasuke?”

The omega snaps out of his trance and realizes he’d been staring. He grasps the bento tightly in his hands and nods to his brother before practically running from the room, shutting the door in his wake.

His heart beats rapidly and for a moment he pauses in front of his father’s door to collect himself. He’d just seen the Naruto Uzumaki and hadn’t managed to say a word! And just looking at him petrified the omega. Wasn’t Naruto supposed to be easy going and super pleasant? All the interviews he’d watched seemed to point towards that, but from what he just witnessed maybe they were wrong?

No way. He’d been following Naruto for years, sure he got into some scuffles with other fighters behind the scenes, but wasn’t that all for publicity?

Sasuke pushes the thoughts away from his head. He doesn’t know what to think or why Naruto’s being sued. Everyone gets angry and stressed, he won’t let this get to him. Really.

He knocks on his father’s door, instantly getting permission to enter. Fugaku acknowledges him with a glance upward and turns back to the papers in his hands. He makes a choking sound, and his head shoots up when he understands what Sasuke has in his hands.

“Did my dear loving son make that for me?” 

Sasuke rolls his eyes in exasperation. He drops the bento down on his father’s desk and turns to leave.

His father laughs heartily, “Hey, get back here and give me a hug.”

Sasuke smirks and decides it couldn’t hurt.

Fugaku stands as Sasuke approaches, arms wrapping around his youngest boy with a slight squeeze. He finds comfort in his father’s embrace, and he’s happy with how far he’s come in his recovery. Others take years longer to regain a sense of normality but Sasuke is doing very well, considering the amount of time that has passed.

He’s released but only to be pulled into a headlock and given a noogie, knuckles messing up his silky hair. 

“Otou-san!” He protests.

After a few minutes of teasing from Fugaku, he finally walks back down the hallway towards the entrance, trying to fix his hair back to the way it was. He considers waiting for Itachi, but he doesn’t want to annoy his brother with his fangirling. 

Behind him, Itachi’s office door practically bursts open, the sudden noise causing Sasuke to jump and spin around. Heading straight for him is Naruto Uzumaki, looking like a bull on a rampage. Sasuke freezes and feels himself panic, there’s no where to go, he can’t run, he’s still as a deer in headlights.

“Tch, move,” The Alpha virtually shoves Sasuke, “How do you expect people to like you if you’re so meek and shy, eh? Stop dragging your feet and grow a pair. Weak people get nowhere.”

Sasuke’s breath hitches, and he presses himself against the wall as far as he can to get away from the frightening alpha. He remembers then, the feeling of being helpless, being held down. His shoulder is burning from where the alpha touched him.

He feels sick. He can taste the saltiness of his tears on his tongue.

Naruto doesn’t even look back as he leaves the firm, and Sasuke only just manages to collect what’s left of himself to dash into the bathroom and heave into a toilet. 

-

He begins by taking the posters off his bedroom walls. 

He can’t bring himself to tear them, or damage them at all by pulling them off the tacks keeping them in place. Instead, he calmly pulls each individual pin from the drywall and neatly folds the posters into a box.

Every. Single. One.

He doesn’t confide in his family regarding the recent change. But they notice his regression. For five months he recoils again when touched and appears nervous around others. He won’t go anywhere alone.

A relapse, his therapist explains. It’s all a part of the process to getting better. 

Itachi is suspicious, especially when he sees that his baby brother’s bedroom is devoid of any decoration. When asked, all Sasuke replies is that it’s time he grew up. He doesn’t need to occupy himself with pipe dreams. He doesn’t need an alpha.

Mikoto finds the boxes at the bottom of his closet two years later, abandoned by her youngest son who’s already moved off to college.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope you guys are having a great day and here's the next update!  
> Just a warning, some slight Shika/Naru is mentioned but nothing worth tagging. This in building up to the main plot so I hope it's not too dull. I'm running on fumes so forgive me if you spot any mistakes.  
> If you think I missed a tag please let me know :) enjoy!

The fresh, sickly sweet smell of honeysuckle greets Sasuke as he exits the law building on campus. He inhales deeply as he passes the bushes and takes his time walking towards the parking lot. 

Undergraduate study has been kicking his butt, but he’ll never admit that to anyone. All his classes are necessary for his future, he understands, and the goofing around of his peers is annoying. He nearly feels bad for anyone who gets some of his classmates to represent them. Sasuke has a hard enough time reaching his goals because of his omega status. He’ll never get the opportunity to relax as long as he has classes to take and more school to attend. Not if he wants to be a completely independent omega.

He realizes he’s getting worked up again, grasping the handle of his messenger bag too tight and glaring at anyone who walks by. He releases a long breath and unlocks his car, wishing he could go back to his apartment for the rest of the afternoon. 

Unfortunately, he’s meeting his nosy brother for lunch.

Sasuke’s glad he doesn’t have to live on campus. He’s not sure if he’d be able to handle being surrounded by other people or living with someone he doesn’t know. Omegas and alphas are separated, only mixed with betas, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be snuck into other dorms.

He’d rather avoid it entirely.

He took summer classes this year, hoping to evade most of his peers and graduate early. Regrettably, some of the people he was hoping to escape had the same idea as him.

He sighs, pulling away from campus and towards the office where he’s meeting his brother. Itachi had invited him to lunch at the sushi bar they used to frequent when he was younger. A part of him dreads seeing him because he knows there will be questions that he doesn’t want to answer. Or pleasantries that became old his first semester. 

_How are you doing?_

_How has school been?_

_Have you had any attacks?_

_Have any alphas bothered you?_

He parks and exits his car, a pit in his stomach as he views the law firm in front of him. He pauses for a second to gather his bearings, then walks towards the front entrance.

Itachi can be suffocating at times, but Sasuke knows it’s only out of concern. He’ll allow it, every once in a while.

-

When Sasuke enters his office, he knows he fucked up.

He’s known for a while, actually.

“Hello, Sasuke-kun.” Itachi gestures to the chairs in front of his desk. The omega side eyes them but doesn’t sit.

“I’ll be done here in a minute. Sorry to make you wait.”

The other man shrugs, no expression crossing his features to give his feelings away. Just a small frown, and blank eyes.

In the corner of his vision, Itachi can see him lean against the wall next to the door, waiting quietly. It doesn’t slip his mind that Sasuke has been avoiding the office for a long time. 

The alpha decides to save his pressing questions for lunch.

-

“How is class going?”

“Fine.”

Itachi sets down his chopsticks on the edge of his plate and sighs. He tries to make eye contact, but his brother skillfully avoids his gaze.

So far he’s only managed to get one word answers out of Sasuke.

So he decides to stop babying his brother for once and gets straight to the point.

“Why did you stop crushing on Uzumaki?”

Sasuke looses his composure for a moment, eyes widening with a sharp inhale. 

“I just grew up—”

“Please.”

He meets the other male’s eyes, and Sasuke must see something there because the next words from his mouth are shocking and Sasuke would never admit them to anyone but Itachi.

“He called me weak. That time, at the firm. We were leaving at the same time. I was in the hall…”

He swallows hard. That’s all his brother is going to get.

Itachi doesn’t know how to feel, at first. So he does the only thing that comes to mind and faults Naruto. But then he remembers the situation and reconsiders. Remembers his own hesitancy. Thinks about the boxer. 

_Should’ve trusted your gut, Itachi._

The next best thing is to blame himself.

“I knew I shouldn’t have let you come to the office. Jiraiya warned me about his temper—”

“No, ‘Tachi, it’s fine. He just wasn’t who I thought he was.”

“Yes, he was. He is,” _Why am I defending him?_ “He just has issues. He’s not a people pleaser and he’s got some really strong opinions…” Itachi pauses with his fingers laced in front of him, thinking hard. Sasuke knows all this.

“He can be a total airhead,” He finishes. “But his intentions are good. I’m sorry you had to see that side of him, Sasuke.”

His little brother doesn’t respond.

He misses the days where the younger man would get excited about a match on the television. Where he’d walk into his room and be greeted by the boxer’s face all over the walls. His brother’s embarrassed mumbling when he was teased about wanting to be the blonde’s omega.

His brother had been happy, and the alpha still made him happy even after _that._

He feels responsible for tainting the image in his brother’s head. He was sixteen and vulnerable. The one alpha he’d been excited to see since _that_ and it had ended in a mess.

He’s stumped, why would Naruto call Sasuke weak? Especially as an Omega, but even so, he hasn’t been one to stereotype. But if he thought Sasuke was an alpha or beta—

It clicks.

_Suppressors._

Sasuke isn’t that small. In fact, he’s nearly as tall as Itachi himself. He doesn’t wear form fitting clothing or show off the fact that he’s an omega. Itachi is almost positive it’s because of _that_ day. He’s simply not comfortable showing off.

Maybe Naruto didn’t realize that Sasuke was an omega.

Even so, Naruto tended to treat people kindly and equally, unless proven otherwise. If he had been in a blind rage, and just said the first words that came to mind—

_That bastard._

This must be one big misunderstanding. And he’s going to get to the bottom of it.

“Can we just drop it?” Itachi breaks away from his thoughts to glance up at his brother. He won’t beg, but he doesn’t need to. He can see how uncomfortable his younger brother is.

“Of course, Otouto.”

They eat the rest of their lunch in silence.

-

The ring is just how it always is: bright and enticing. 

But today, it’s daunting.

Naruto heads to the back of the gym, bypassing the arena completely. He hasn’t stepped in the ring for a bit, not since he needed the adrenaline rush at least.

In reality, that was just last week.

He’s more drawn to the leather punching bag at the moment.

Entering the locker room, he sets his black duffel down on an empty bench. He wrinkles his nose in distaste, other alpha’s pheromones are always strong here. 

Unzipping his bag, he grabs the orange gloves he’s had for the past few years. They look like the original pair he had when he first starting boxing, and he can’t help but appreciate Jiraiya’s sentimentality. 

They fit perfectly.

He wails on the punching bag, his mind drifting to things he’d rather not think about. The reporter that tried to stop him this morning before he got to work. In his own parking garage.

The man had been waiting for him it seems, hidden behind one of the parked vehicles, hopping out as soon as Naruto shut off his car.

He knew at that moment it would be one of those days.

_“Why are you here?”_

_He hopes his no-nonsense tone will give the man pause, but he should know better by now. The man’s camera is on. It’s held down by his side but it’s angled just so that it captures his face. Naruto has played this game before. He looks at the device pointedly._

_The man almost seems embarrassed. He smiles sheepishly but doesn’t bother to try and hide the fact that he’s filming the alpha before him._

_“Mr. Uzumaki, I’m from—”_

_“No. I have work to get to.”_

_“Just a few questions—”_

_Naruto keeps walking, but the man is persistent, like they all are._

_“In previous interviews you mentioned a rough childhood. We just wanted to know if you’d elaborate on your experience and confirm some information for us.”_

_He can already feel his face heating in anger._

_“I said no—”_

_“Is it true you were returned to foster care over 8 times?”_

_Naruto’s brows scrunch up in disdain. ‘It was 4,’ he thinks to himself._

_“What about the family that apologized publicly recently, asking for your forgiveness?”_

_He snorts—which he realizes too late is caught on camera—but he thinks anyway, ‘They’re fake.’_

_“And the interview with the foster home, they called you a ‘violent child,’ can you comment further?”_

_He freezes._

_There’s a reason he doesn’t talk about his past, why can’t people understand that? He supposes if they didn’t try to pry into his life they wouldn’t have a job. Why not get a more reputable employer? Money? Desperation? Boredom? There are many things that lead to people becoming a part of the press and paparazzi. If they want to work for big names or make decent money, they have to start at the bottom. He’s aware of this, and yet…_

_Naruto tries so hard to keep his cool but it’s slipping fast. He knows he’s glaring when he barely turns to acknowledge the person behind him._

_“You’re banned from here. Get lost before I call the police.”_

_Naruto makes his way inside from the back entrance and into the kitchen, ignoring any attempts at conversation. Luckily, his staff is aware of his moods now and knows when not to bother him. A new hire squeaks when he nearly bowls over her, and Naruto realizes he must look like your stereotypical “angry alpha” and softens immediately._

_In his office, he collapses into his leather chair, sinking into its cool comfort and sighing in relief. He sits, deep in thought for at least 10 minutes until Shikamaru finds him._

_“Don’t you have a kitchen to manage?” He jabs, but the dark-haired man only smirks._

_“Heard you came in pretty upset.”_

_“’Course you did,” The blonde sighs and sits up in his chair. He eyes the papers on his desk as if they’ll chew his hand off._

_Shikamaru levels him with a look, and he knows he won’t be doing anything until he answers the other man._

_He rolls his eyes and says, “Just some stupid press this morning, nothing I couldn’t handle. Guy’s banned now anyway. We got his face on camera.”_

_Two dark brows raise._

_“I’m fuckin’ fine, Shika.”_

_“I’m sure,” he drawls._

_Naruto huffs. He just had to hire his best friend to be his Sous Chef. “They’re just trying to survive. They’re starting at the bottom like I did.”_

_“Stop trying to justify it,” Shikamaru gripes, “They do it for fun. Such a bother.”_

_“You say that because they bug you too.” When Shikamaru doesn’t deny this, Naruto deflates. “I’m sorry, Shika.”_

_“I knew what I was getting into. But the problem isn’t me, it’s the other staff. They confronted one of the waitresses and now she’s thinking of quitting.”_

_Naruto curses. “Which one? I’ll talk to her.”_

_“One problem, you scare her.”_

_Naruto scoffs, “I’m not that bad.”_

_And there Shikamaru goes again, raising an eyebrow. “You can be pretty terrifying. You have a reputation, boss man.”_

_Naruto is about to protest but bites into his bottom lip when he realizes his friend is not wrong._

_“Fuck. Okay, I’ll be better about that.”_

_“Good. Now I’ll talk to the waitress and you finish that paperwork.”_

_He grumbles but concedes as his Sous Chef leaves the office. He has a lot of work to do, and he just wants to let off some steam. He had a feeling that the day would last forever._

He was right, of course. 

Suddenly, a familiar scent makes it’s way up his nose. He continues his punches and kicks, not as vigorous as before. 

“You’ve gotten a lot better at that.”

He stops then, turning and looking to his mentor as he grabs his water bottle. He downs the whole thing and is being handed another when he asks, “The punching or the kicking?”

“The control.”

He knows what he means then, and snorts. “If only my staff agreed.”

Jiraiya laughs boisterously and pats him on the back hard enough to knock the breath out of him. With a short “oof,” he grins at the older alpha, adding “I promise they respect me.”

“Work isn’t a chore if you love it. Remember to be patient and balance strictness with praise for good effort. You won’t truly succeed, otherwise.”

He knows this, it’s something his godfather made sure to drill into his head. It had succeeded with him, and he’s a knucklehead who was hard as hell to teach. 

“I need to work on the patience part. Shikamaru would appreciate it. He always cleans up after me. Maybe I’ll buy him a drink soon.”

“There ya go,” Jiraiya rubs his back comfortingly, “or you could just fuck the anger out.”

His face reddens, “Stop giving me advise like that. He’s my best friend, it’s platonic! Besides, he has a thing with this chick we went to school with. He’s into women.”

“So you’d give it a shot.”

_“No.”_

The white-haired alpha tuts and moves away to speak with the small man who walks through the back door. He greets Jiraiya happily and hands him a clipboard to sign before leaving the way he came. 

“Alright, kiddo. Come help us lift this shipment, yeah?”

Glad for the change in subject, he assists both men with brining in the heavy boxes.

“Jeez, what the hell did you order?”

“All new gloves, equipment, and merchandise. I’ll be selling some of this clothing on the side to make more money for this place,” He pulls out a red shirt with the gym's name in large letters, _‘Sanin’s Fitness.’_ He flips it around to show Naruto the printed toad with a sword thrown over its shoulder. 

It looks awesome but would be better in orange.

As if he read his mind, Jiraiya digs through one of the boxes until he finds an orange shirt, tossing it to Naruto.

“I still can’t believe you used Gamabunta as your mascot,” he laughs, thinking of the pet toad he had as a young teen.

He blows air out slowly, glancing around at all the boxes. His godfather hands some bills to the delivery driver, who smiles gratefully. Before he leaves, he throws a small glance towards the younger alpha and a small blush dusts his cheeks. “Bye, Jiraiya-san, N-Naruto-san.” With a quick bow, he’s gone.

“You know that kid’s been eyeing you up for a while now.”

“Huh? Since when?” 

Jiraiya scoffs, “You really that blind? _‘N-N-Naruto-sannn~’_ C’mon kid. He always makes the deliveries. You’ve met him before! You should take him out, seems like a nice guy.”

Chewing his cheek, the young alpha thinks for a moment. He truly was cute, light brown hair and caramel eyes. He was petite but still strong enough to lift most of the heavy shipments for the gym. He could barely smell him though, so he couldn’t tell what his presentation was.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t prefer omegas. But the courting process just seems so intimidating and tiresome. He has too much on his plate for a significant other. Add his anger issues into the mix. Not to mention the negative attention they might get; he could never submit someone to that. Right?

He’s broken from his train of thought when his phone buzzes.

It’s a text from someone he least expects. It reads:

_Come have a drink with me._

-

“Am I being sued again?”

Itachi smirks as the blonde sits in the booth across from him. His hood is pulled over his head and a blue cap sticks out from under it.

“You owe me. I’ve come to collect a debt.”

“I pay you to represent me,” The alpha across from him exaggeratingly rolls his eyes, opening the menu in front of him. 

At first, after Naruto’s status as a chef was well known, Itachi was a little surprised to find that he still tolerated food that wasn’t 5 stars. When asked, Naruto simply said, “All food is good food.”

He’d been intrigued.

Now, sitting across from him and watching him order typical bar food (curly fries and a horribly fattening burger) he’s knows that the alpha is very honest and sometimes a little oblivious.

The waitress’s current flirting, for example.

He’s brushed her off twice now, maybe it’s purposeful?

They chat and Itachi watches in near awe as the waitress brings him another beer, “on the house,” and saunters off with a not-so-subtle look and a sway in her hips.

“Wow, I’ll tip her well, dattebayo!” He exclaims enthusiastically, taking a large drawl from the bottle and shoving more seasoned fries into his mouth.

Not purposeful, then.

“You amaze me,” the dark-haired man simply says but doesn’t elaborate when he gets a confused look in return. 

“So you just wanted to talk? Drink? Why didn’t you order food? What’s this about a debt?” Itachi drops his façade for a moment to give Naruto a disgusted look. “Talking with your mouth full? A famous chef?”

Naruto sighs and obnoxiously chews with his mouth open before swallowing harshly. “Better?”

“Yes, I’ve come to collect a debt.” He gets right to it. He’s not one to stall, especially with his clients. Only his dear brother gets special treatment from him.

“What do you need from me?”

“Do you remember meeting my brother?”

Naruto takes another sip from his beer, looking upwards toward the dark ceiling as if he’ll find his answer scrawled there. After a bit, he shrugs and faces Itachi again. “Not particularly, no. Why?”

He’s seen an old picture or two of the lawyer’s sibling, they have the same dark hair and eyes, but they don’t talk enough for him to know more than that. 

“Hm.”

“What’s that look for? And why?” Naruto questions him again.

“You met him when we took your first case. Are you sure you don’t recall?”

Naruto purses his lips, taking his tongue and flicking across his teeth in thought. “When that kid's show tried to sue me for saying something close to their stupid phrase?”

Itachi nods.

Naruto takes a hand and strokes his chin, grimacing when he feels the beginnings of a beard. He had been fairly angry that day, and if he’s being honest, it was so long ago now that he barely remembers. He knows his anger clouded his decisions a lot, especially regarding that incident, and he’s pretty sure meeting his defense attorney’s brother wasn’t something that would be that memorable.

“I was pretty mad back then. How many years ago was that? Three? Four? Sorry, when I get that upset I can’t remember a lot of what happens around me.” He rubs the back of his neck, slightly ashamed, and gives the other man a guilty smile.

“It’s alright, Naruto. That’s probably for the best. Now, onto my request. I’d like to reserve the _6th Ring_ for our annual family reunion.”

The chef sputters, “The whole restaurant?!”

“I’m sure it can be done. Perhaps next month?”

“That’s too soon!” 

“Don’t be so loud. Let’s go over the specifics, hm?” He gives the blonde a small, innocent smile.

“But what do I owe you?!”

“Need I remind you of a particular case—”

Naruto pales. “You’re absolutely fuckin' evil.”

_You have no idea._

He hopes his brother will forgive him. 

-

August days are hot, and the night isn’t much better. It’s muggy and Sasuke is sweating.

He hates it.

The restaurant, _6th Ring_ stands proud before him. Once, he would’ve been overjoyed to enter this place. But now, he has to take deep breaths and mentally count his fingers to ground himself.

A gentle hand caresses his back, causing him to flinch. He looks up to see his mother, dressed in a flowing, glittery black gown. Her hair is loose and cascades around her worried face.

“Are you nervous?”

He scowls and steps away from her. “I’m fine.” He’s not going to let himself regress now. He’s stronger than that and refuses to show his weakness, even if it is his mother.

He feels guilty when he hears her sigh, exasperated, and she says “You can leave any time you want tonight. Remember that.”

Her heels click against the pavement as she walks forward.

He follows soon after.

The Uchihas are a large family. Reunions are always held at nice restaurants or lodges where they can flaunt their money to other family members or show off any new family developments. 

There’s also a lot of gossip.

Why is he here again? To look good for his father and his company? To appease his frustrating brother and concerned mother? To be a proper Uchiha?

All of the above, he supposes.

He enters the gold lined glass doors, taking in the crystal chandelier and velvet coated seats in the entrance. It is noticeably cooler and he’s relieved, his dark blue shirt and smooth slacks were starting to stick to him uncomfortably.

Itachi is already there waiting for them, “Where’s Otou-san?” 

“Caught at work,” is his mother’s reply.

His brother nods and opens the second set of large wood doors leading into the dining room.

Sasuke can’t help but stare in awe.

Waiters and waitresses hop from table to table, already providing water and filling wine glasses. There’s two stories, but their family only occupies the first floor— he knows they rented the entire establishment regardless of what they would need.

The restaurant is spacious and extravagant, complimented by deep maroon walls and a vaulted ceiling with dark wood beams. The tables are lavishly decorated with white cloths and light blue flower arrangements. The chairs are curved and sturdy, simple yet charming.

A waiter guides them to their chairs after he gets their names, setting them down close to the entrance and next to a small hallway. Sasuke makes eye contact with Itachi and nods. He knows this table was specifically requested. He breathes easier and relaxes a little in his chair, knowing that the exit and the bathroom are close in case he needs to flee.

Fugaku shows up not even 5 minutes later, spotting them immediately and seating himself beside his wife just in time for the event to begin. One of the older members of the family stands from a table in the center, microphone in hand and ready to give some prideful spiel about the Uchiha family. 

After the greetings and small speech, they await the meal and make small talk with the tables around them. Izumi walks over and greets their family, and his mother excuses herself to go make pleasantries. 

Before long, Grandfather Madara and his brother Izuna are at their table, making jokes with Fugaku and each taking a turn to ruffle Sasuke’s hair. He doesn’t mind them much and even enjoys their company. He still grumbles and tries to fix his hair. The two brothers make the reunion less stuffy and he finds that their chatter about other, snotty, family members helps him unwind.

“Oh, he’s seeing other people, but she claims they’re totally in love. Look at the huge rock he bought her this time. Wonder how long it’ll continue.”

“Didn’t his sister send around the pictures from the strip club just last weekend? Then claimed it was an accident?”

“They want the drama. I swear, I’m not getting involved.”

Sasuke sits and enjoys his free entertainment. This way, he fades into the background and hardly has to greet anybody. 

Then Itachi leans over to pop his bubble.

“You okay?” He asks quietly, and Sasuke softens his scowl. 

“I was, but then my brother started to annoy me.”

The alpha’s lips quirk in amusement. “Answer me.”

“I’m good. I already know if it’s too much I’ll leave. We talked about this.”

And they had, Itachi made it clear that he was in no way obligated to come. There’s still a nagging feeling in the pit of him stomach, he knows the alpha might be here, but he tries his best to push past it and enjoy his time.

Before he can say more, his mother appears and takes her seat again. The food has started to arrive.

A plate of purple is laid before him, and Sasuke once again finds himself amazed. Some form of meat is cut into perfect, round circles and doused in a rich, plum-colored sauce. The meat tower rests off to the side within a circle of herbs and a swirled, yellow design makes up much of the plate.

He starts when he feels a kick under the table and immediately shoots a look up to his brother, who’s already dug into the meal.

Slightly embarrassed that he’d sat there staring at it for who knows how long, he picks up his cutlery and takes his first bite.

It’s the best food he’s ever had.

Flavor bursts across his tongue, taste buds lighting up in delight. The meat seems to just melt in his mouth. After the first bite, he’s salivating for more. Each course after that is just as good as the first, nothing disappoints and even the small, spicy chocolate dessert impresses him. 

Did he expect any less? 

He’s savoring the last bite of the sweet treat when a man with dark hair pulled up tight in a ponytail approaches their table. He takes his time, almost seeming annoyed with the commotion around him, and addresses their little table of four.

“He’s coming out to see you.” 

“Bah- he doesn’t have to do that,” Fugaku waves dismissively towards the man and it takes him all of two seconds to find out exactly who they’re talking about.

Before he can wrap his head around anything else, he’s excusing himself and standing up from the table. He barely remembers the walk to the restroom. The hallway seems so long, but soon it curves and finally he’s hidden away from everyone’s sight. There’s a door at the end that might lead to storage or perhaps a separate entrance to the kitchen? He’s too distraught to make sense of everything but he spots a door to the right with the word “Mens” in cursive and he's pushing open the door—

“Oh! I’m sorry, my bad sir—wha? Wait, you’re ‘Tachi’s brother!”

Sasuke’s heart feels like it stops. There’s a masculine, spiced scent in the air and everything seems so slow as his eyes drag up and up from a wide chest and broad shoulders to—

A kind, toothy smile and deep blue eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is that a cliffhanger? I'm sorry :(  
> I absolutely believe that in a/b/o verse the universities/colleges would have separate dorms for omegas and alphas, obviously for heat/rut reasons. AND THEN on top of that, would they further separate male from female??? Would they have special heat/rut lodging so they get some privacy?? Help I need some thoughts on this because I'm curious.  
> I think that Itachi would totally sit and zone out thinking about something really hard and have a level head in all situations. Keep in mind he doesn't fully comprehend what happened between Naruto and Sasuke.  
> Naruto as always is oblivious to people trying to flirt with him. Oh! and Sasuke is 20 here, just to let you guys know.  
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this very small glimpse into Naruto's background. If you have questions, I'll answer what I can without spoiling the story.

**Author's Note:**

> It has come to my understanding that boxers don't make that much money, so let's play pretend, 'kay? And I hope no one takes the interactions between family members the wrong way, none of it is meant to be seen as sexual. I wrote this story based on personal experience, so I ask that you hold your tongue and don't even think about saying anything nasty in regards to how I've written the characters emotions/experience with rape. I'm literally describing my own coping mechanisms and how I survived a certain unpleasant experience. Keep in mind that everyone is different in how they react to certain events will differ. Got it? Good.  
> As always, if I've missed a tag or you have an issue with a tag, please let me know. Thank you for reading!
> 
> ***EDIT: This is a clarification for some confusion, sorry if my writing was a bit hard to understand here.  
> The previous version of this work had a large age gap, about 8-9 years between the two characters. Even though this is normal for my life, I realize that others didn't view it the same so I've edited the work. And not just because of the nasty comment below. Don't worry, it will still go in the same direction, but the age gap is up to the reader now. I tried to leave it up in the air, so if you like the OG age gap, go for it! If not, I’d say a gap of about 4 years will still make sense.


End file.
